The Carer
by lejardine
Summary: Severus finds a crying Hermione in the Forbidden Forest.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione sat in the forbidden forest in a clearing on her own. After the war the forest had become safe again. Students and staff alike were allowed to roam so long as they were respectful of it inhabitants. But today Hermione was alone. It seemed the only place she could truly be away from everyone and feel free and unrestrained.

And it was here that she sat in the clearing staring blankly into the woods at nothing in particular. Unbeknownst to her Severus Snape lurked in the darkness of the trees just out of sight of Hermione. He noted his student turned colleague staring into nothingness and waited for a reaction rom her.

He'd been watching her of late since she took over for Minerva. The chit was alone most of the time. She never received mail from the owls and, if not teaching, holed herself up either in a dark corner of the library, her office or rooms, or in this spot of the forbidden forest. The once happy child had grown into a sad and dower young woman.

Hermione had started teaching immediately after taking her NEWTs and passing with top marks. Harry had become and auror and was always busy and Ron had gone onto playing professional quidditch. It seemed that now that the war was truly over her "friends" no longer had time for her. Or seemed to not to want to make time for her. In fact, it was approaching the end of the semester and Severus could see this isolation taking its toll on her.

Hermione had not completely bounced back from a year on the run. She was still painfully thin and pale. Her hair was always in a severe bun and her clothes hung off her. As a student Hermione Granger didn't care much about her looks but still kept herself presentable. Now she seemed to discard that care and only did the bare minimum to function.

And so Hermione stood and in one sudden movement she curled up on the blanket beneath her and sobbed into her hands. All the feelings of loneliness and being unwanted and no one truly taking her seriously was washing over her. Now that the war was over she'd simply been discarded, deemed unnecessary if only to teach.

Severus watched from his spot as Hermione melted on to the blanket. For a moment there was silence until he could hear her sobs. Silently he crept closer to get a better view of her. She was curled up in a ball hiding her face but he could hear the racking sobs escaping her. She looked to be in physical pain. Without thinking Severus quietly swept up to her and picked her up in his arms and held her.

For a moment Hermione struggled against the sudden restraint but upon realizing it was Severus she relaxed and as he held her closer she cried even more and buried her face in his shoulder. Severus never said a word but held her close and rubbed her back. He understood this feeling all to well. Hermione had truly been left on her own. The forgotten one.

The other professors never spoke to her, Severus included. Her friends had left her by the way side and her family was all but dead. So Severus took it upon himself in this moment to be the one for her. After the war he'd seen to many of his former students left in the same state and many of them had fallen into such depression that they took their own lives or wasted away to nothing.

Severus wasn't exactly how long he'd sat there holding Hermione but he noted that the forest was near dark. Hermione had fallen sleep in his arms and judging by how quickly it was getting dark out he judged he would have to take the back entrance into the castle to avoid being seen and bring her into his rooms. Severus stood and with a wave of his hand his robes had moved to cover Hermione and her bag had flown to his hand.

He trudged through the forest expertly avoiding gnarled roots and rocks and made it to a side entrance he frequently used. It wasn't long before he made it to his rooms and with a quickly whispered password he was let into his quarters where he gently laid her down on the sofa and lit the fire in the fireplace. He took the blanket thrown over the top and covered her with it then went to change and removed his robes, boots, and jacket and sat on the floor and leaned against the sofa as he read and let the heat warm him.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione woke some three hours later curled up on a sofa comfortable and covered in a warm blanket. For a moment she was not sure where she was until she looked down and found Severus laying on the floor on his back asleep. He had an arm under his head while the other lay across his stomach. She didn't move but watched him. The last she remembered he was carrying her. And then the thought hit her. Severus had held her as she cried, carried her into the castle and made sure she was comfortable on his sofa while he fell asleep on the floor. It was an act not expected from the surly potions master but it made her feel at ease.

Severus must have heard her slight movements and woke. He sat up and stared at Hermione.

"Do you need anything?" he asked gently. There was no snark in the question what so ever. His question was answered upon hearing her stomach growl. Severus stood and called to a house elf. He was on the other side of his quarters and was speaking so gently to the house elf that appeared that Hermione didn't hear him. When the house elf winked out of existence Severus looked up towards her and motioned for her to come to the small kitchen table to sit.

As she walked over Severus used his magic to instantly boil a kettle of water as he pulled out two mugs and his choice of tea. He prepared two mugs and set Hermione's in her hand. She blew on the brew then took a sip. The tea surprisingly reflected Severus. It was dark and spicy and light at the same time. They never said anything as they waited for the food to appear but Hermione noted that Severus was being remarkably gentle and kind to her. Than again he'd been like this since she started teaching.

His disposition towards her had changed. No longer was he mean and condescending to her. He now listened to her when she spoke and answered her in kind and was rarely rude to her. In turn Severus had noted the immediate change in Hermione after the final battle. Hermione was much quieter and more patient then she used to be. She really thought things out and, though she still could, didn't regurgitate information from books word for word and always went beyond what was written in books. They got on well in the few times their paths crossed.

Finally their dinner appeared on the table and they ate in silence, Severus not entirely sure how to broach the subject of Hermione completely breaking down and Hermione contemplating the fact that Severus was being kind. When they were done the tableware disappeared and they sat in awkward silence before Hermione finally stood to leave.

"If you need anything, let me know." Said Severus as he stood and watched her leave. Hermione turns and nodded in the affirmative before slipping out his door and soundlessly shutting his door.

Hermione made it to her rooms quickly as the halls of Hogwarts were feeling cold that night. She stripped off her clothes and took a long hot shower before settling in her bed. It took a while for her to fall asleep as she could only think of Severus and the fact that as of late he was her only true human contact. But she rather enjoyed his presence, he wasn't overwhelming anymore or intimidating.

Severus on the other hand sat at the fire for a bit nursing a glass of Ogden's finest before deciding to down the liquid and getting up to take a shower and go to bed. It was an evening he was not expecting at all but for some reason he felt satisfied with it. He had been seeing that Hermione was in fact depressed and to finally see her let some of her emotions go and release all that pent up frustration as a relief for him. He, more than anyone else, understood what it felt like to hold everything in only to feel that release.


	3. Chapter 3

For days Severus had made it his purpose to be kind to Hermione. Though that wasn't as hard as you would think since he was before. During meals they sat besides each other. Sometimes while reading the Daily Prophet, Severus would occasionally comment on some daft article most likely written my Skeeter. He would only say it loud enough for Hermione to hear. Often times she would comment back in agreement with him only loud enough for Severus to hear.

Their banter was kept between themselves in undertones to the rest of the noise of the castle. At times Severus would find Hermione and nod her way or simply ask if she needed anything. Sometimes there was the faintest of touch from Severus to Hermione or Hermione to Severus. Surprisingly Hermione grew closer to Severus whenever he did so. He wasn't smothering about it. He would allow her space most of the time. And he would allow her presence if she needed someone. Often times it was Hermione reading as he brewed or graded papers.

There was one Hogsmeade weekend that found Severus sitting in his room quietly reading in the Astronomy tower. He heard the sound of footsteps first and was ready to get up and leave but was stopped when Hermione popped into view. She never said a word but simply walked towards Severus and sat planting herself straddling his lap and wrapping her arms in his robes around his ribs and nuzzling her face in his neck. Severus reaction was simply to wrap his robes around her to envelope her completely and wrap his arms around her and hold her. There were no shed tears this time and Severus couldn't help but nuzzle his face in her hair and smell the faint sent of jasmine and her natural scent.

If Hermione had been any other person Severus would simply have thrown the offender off, accosted them verbally, then stalk off to a quieter area. But this was Hermione. A woman he'd grown to admire and prefer the company of. As of late he questioned himself and wondered what was happening between the two of them. What would these moments lead to in the future? He wasn't sure and he was a tad bit fearful of her rejection should he try anything so he let things go as they were and would wait for her to make the first move.

Severus was interrupted by the feel of her arms unwrapping from around his ribs to around his neck and the feel of her lips on his cheek. For a moment Hermione pulled away and looked Severus in the eye. There was something in those eyes he thought he'd never see aimed at him. There wasn't sadness or loneliness in them. But rather a subtle sense of wanting and love. Severus didn't react and Hermione gently kissed him on the lips. He responded to her kiss and licked her lips instantly causing her to open her mouth. The kiss grew deeper and a little more passionate as Severus pulled her flush against him. She tasted of apples and spices and was warmer than he'd expected.

Finally they broke the kiss to breath and sat there with their foreheads touching.

"What brought this on?" he asked gently.

"A need to get my life together and realization that I need to grow a pair." Severus' eyebrow quirked in confusion. Hermione sat up a little more still looking Severus in the eyes.

"I've come to the realization that I need to forget about those I once considered friends and focus on now and the future. That's me getting my life together and not moping about." She answered firmly.

"And the need to grow a pair?" asked Severus.

"The need to grow a pair was me finally admitting to myself that I find a certain someone attractive and that I needed to do something about it. I didn't know how to tell you without sounding like a pubescent teenager." Severus smiled at that but then tried his hardest to scowl.

"Hermione we are in the Astronomy tower. We could have been seen."

"I made sure to put up wards to avoid that." Severus was satisfied with that answer and pulled her a little closer as he cast a quick warming spell. Hermione laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his ribs again. "So you're not mad at me?"

"No. It's very rare that a woman show any kind of affection to me without wanting something in return. It's also very rare that anyone would be attracted to me for various reasons." Hermione knew these reasons. There was his past that still got in the way especially when he was out in public. For the war hero he was many still wanted him in Azkaban. There were also his looks, but after the final battle Severus had started to look for the better. He'd gained some weight, his pallor had gained some color, his hair less greasy looking, and his overall health took a pleasant turn for the better. But it seems Hermione was the only one to genuinely find him attractive. "Knowing you Hermione I know that when you say you're attracted to me you mean it."

"I do." She whispered.

"Then I must warn you. There are times when I fall in to self-loathing and may become snappy and hurt you. I'm sorry ahead of time. There are times I'll want to be left alone but I think you understand that more than anyone else I know. And then there are times, and this I have found as of late, I don't want to be to far away from you and will become very selfish in only wanting your presence."

"I'm fine with all of that and as for the last part you needn't worry." Commented Hermione as she kissed him on the lips again.

"In that case, shall we move to warmer surroundings?" Hermione nodded in agreement and they both stood and made way for the dungeons.


End file.
